When it comes to dental health, there’s a common misconception that children’s dental health isn’t as important as adult oral health. Often, parents make the mistake of thinking that because their children’s milk teeth will eventually fall out and make way for their adult teeth to grow, that dental care isn’t as important.
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth; dental care is vital from the moment a child grows their first teeth. Are you confused about children’s dental care? Don’t worry, you’re not alone!
Keen to better understand pediatric dental care? Have a read of the fascinating children’s dental health facts below, that every mom should know!
Good dental health doesn’t have to break the bank
While dentistry can be expensive, it doesn’t have to be, and parents must realize that. A tube of toothpaste costs just a minuscule amount; however, for children living in poverty, toothpaste is considered a luxury. Luckily, there are some charities set up to help families living on low incomes to make dental hygiene affordable and more accessible.
Only 75% of children brush their teeth twice a day
It’s not only adults who can suffer from tooth decay and bad oral hygiene, including bad breath, but children are also at risk too. That’s why it’s so shocking to learn that only 75% of children brush their teeth twice a day.
As a parent, it’s your job to teach your children the importance of dental hygiene, because failing to clean teeth regularly not only leads to dental decay but can also cause bad breath and other long-term oral health problems.
Nearly half of all eight-year-olds have signs of dental decay
This might seem completely unbelievable, but nearly 50% of all eight-year-olds have signs of dental decay on their teeth. That doesn’t mean that they necessarily have cavities, but their teeth may be starting to show signs of problems developing.
That’s why ensuring that your children know how to effectively brush their teeth is so vital when it comes to their long-term dental health.
Some ‘healthy’ foods and drinks have a lot of sugar
Did you know that just because a food or drink is labeled as ‘healthy’, that doesn’t mean it’s not high in sugar? Research on several fruit juice drinks has shown that many contain as much sugar as a full-fat, full-sugar can of fizzy drink. That’s shocking, and a lot of people fail to realize how much sugar there can be in things that are labeled as being ‘healthy’.
Four out of five children attend the dentist regularly
Studies have shown that four out of five children regularly attend the dentist. While it’s great to see that many children are seeing a dentist regularly, that number isn’t good enough. All children should be regularly seeing a dentist ensure that dental problems don’t occur at a young age.
There you have it, several fascinating facts about dental health and oral hygiene that every mom should be aware of.
